Gender Stereotypes Essay
Stereotypes play a major role in our society, whether it may be cultural, racial or gender stereotypes. They shape individuals and influence them with specific characteristics and attributes even if those assumptions are inaccurate. Similarly, this trend is creeping up on how we deal with technology as it has been associated with these gender stereotypes. For instance, consider the HDMI cables that one would use to connect devices to the television—there is a male part/input and a female part/output (Module 9). Throughout the industrial revolution till today, women’s contributions to technological development has been undermined and underestimated. Throughout the 20th century, from cars to computers, machines that were complex and sophisticated
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Computers have developed most significantly in past 40 years, and computer science is often believed to be more of a male domain than a female domain (Cooper & Weaver, 2003). The reason behind it is like many other cases, if the technology's usage is tend to be complex, interactive and programmable it is viewed as masculine. Even though throughout most of 19th and 20th centuries, women have been early adopters of information and communication technologies, serving as first telephonist, operators, calculators, and computer programmers (Module 9). Also, when it comes to computers, despite the association between computers, cybernetics and the "rational" male brain, women also played an important role in conceptualizing the first computer design (Plant, 1997). When men use machines, those machines are referred to as "technologies". However, when women use the same machines, the machines are known as "appliances". A prime example is the history of the microwave. Judy Wajcman pointed out that the microwave was originally marketed to single men as high-tech, complex and sophisticated technology that was sold alongside similar gadgets like TVs and stereos. After the poor sales, the machine was feminized and re-marketed as simple, single-function, user-friendly device that was sold along with dishwasher and other household items as an
Computers have developed most significantly in past 40 years, and computer science is often believed to be more of a male domain than a female domain (Cooper & Weaver, 2003). The reason behind it is like many other cases, if the technology's usage is tend to be complex, interactive and programmable it is viewed as masculine. Even though throughout most of 19th and 20th centuries, women have been early adopters of information and communication technologies, serving as first telephonist, operators, calculators, and computer programmers (Module 9). Also, when it comes to computers, despite the association between computers, cybernetics and the "rational" male brain, women also played an important role in conceptualizing the first computer design (Plant, 1997). When men use machines, those machines are referred to as "technologies". However, when women use the same machines, the machines are known as "appliances". A prime example is the history of the microwave. Judy Wajcman pointed out that the microwave was originally marketed to single men as high-tech, complex and sophisticated technology that was sold alongside similar gadgets like TVs and stereos. After the poor sales, the machine was feminized and re-marketed as simple, single-function, user-friendly device that was sold along with dishwasher and other household items as an